Hi everyone,
I have posted a few times here and have found the responses to be quite helpful, so thank you very much.
I wanted to post a fuller picture of the symptoms I have been experiencing to get some advice (and maybe even some clarity) because my ALS fears are gradually becoming an obsession. I apologize in advance for the long post!
I am 27 years old, male, with no known family history of ALS. In 1996, I started having fascilations that came and went. Not too long after, I noticed some TMJ and neck symptoms (which I am guessing may have been exacerbated my stress and two car accidents). This spring, I began to get worried about these head jolts that I was having and seemingly related intensifying of TMJ. I was also having facial numbness and pain, also of the neck. Nervous about MS, in late May I went to the neurologist who said that my neuro exam was good but thought an MRI could be helpful (all other blood tests including Lyme disease and HIV were normal). I got an MRI of my brain and cervical area and a slight herniation was found I think in C5-6 though the precise numbers escape me right now.
As my anxiety had sharply increased, I wanted to get an EMG but the neuro thought it was not indicated (including after hearing about the swallowing stuff) and plus I was moving out of the state and about to lose health insurance.
In early June as I was still nervous about what I was going on, I developed a swallowing difficulty that began as a big old lump in my throat. Very nervous, I went to the ER and the dr. thought it was acid reflux. The lump went away but the swallowing problems seem to come and go (they also seemed to respond to Nexium for acid reflux but then I ran out of insurance for now) and sometimes is accompanied by excessive salivation but no drooling. Around the same time, the twitching seemed to worsen (or maybe I noticed it more?) as did the TMJ-like stuff. To informally test my muscle strength, I went to the gym and was still able to do the stuff I had once done.
To help with the pain, I went to get a massage. Right after I left, I noticed more tingling, pain and maybe even weakness in especially my right hand and arm. Maybe she touched a nerve?
. Therefore, I went to a chiropractor who, upon examination, said that I seemed to have a pinch nerve, tendonitis in my neck, and TMJ. I have another appt. today with him and he wants to see the MRI report (and actually so do I!). Very recently, I thought I was experiencing foot drop in the right foot but then was able to do the heel test and run up and down stairs. My dorsoflexion seems okay but plantar is not I think....as in I can bring my toes towards my body but have trouble bringing them away from my body if that makes sense. I have also noticed weight loss but I have been walking more and more as I have recently moved and had changed my sodium intake because of past high blood pressure.
So, I am wondering what to do next and feel lost. I am guessing an EMG will provide some answers but I can't do one until the end of August at the earliest because of insurance stuff. Any advice on what to do until then? Do you know how much they cost without insurance?
Thanks!
Sean
I have posted a few times here and have found the responses to be quite helpful, so thank you very much.
I wanted to post a fuller picture of the symptoms I have been experiencing to get some advice (and maybe even some clarity) because my ALS fears are gradually becoming an obsession. I apologize in advance for the long post!
I am 27 years old, male, with no known family history of ALS. In 1996, I started having fascilations that came and went. Not too long after, I noticed some TMJ and neck symptoms (which I am guessing may have been exacerbated my stress and two car accidents). This spring, I began to get worried about these head jolts that I was having and seemingly related intensifying of TMJ. I was also having facial numbness and pain, also of the neck. Nervous about MS, in late May I went to the neurologist who said that my neuro exam was good but thought an MRI could be helpful (all other blood tests including Lyme disease and HIV were normal). I got an MRI of my brain and cervical area and a slight herniation was found I think in C5-6 though the precise numbers escape me right now.
As my anxiety had sharply increased, I wanted to get an EMG but the neuro thought it was not indicated (including after hearing about the swallowing stuff) and plus I was moving out of the state and about to lose health insurance.
In early June as I was still nervous about what I was going on, I developed a swallowing difficulty that began as a big old lump in my throat. Very nervous, I went to the ER and the dr. thought it was acid reflux. The lump went away but the swallowing problems seem to come and go (they also seemed to respond to Nexium for acid reflux but then I ran out of insurance for now) and sometimes is accompanied by excessive salivation but no drooling. Around the same time, the twitching seemed to worsen (or maybe I noticed it more?) as did the TMJ-like stuff. To informally test my muscle strength, I went to the gym and was still able to do the stuff I had once done.
To help with the pain, I went to get a massage. Right after I left, I noticed more tingling, pain and maybe even weakness in especially my right hand and arm. Maybe she touched a nerve?
. Therefore, I went to a chiropractor who, upon examination, said that I seemed to have a pinch nerve, tendonitis in my neck, and TMJ. I have another appt. today with him and he wants to see the MRI report (and actually so do I!). Very recently, I thought I was experiencing foot drop in the right foot but then was able to do the heel test and run up and down stairs. My dorsoflexion seems okay but plantar is not I think....as in I can bring my toes towards my body but have trouble bringing them away from my body if that makes sense. I have also noticed weight loss but I have been walking more and more as I have recently moved and had changed my sodium intake because of past high blood pressure.So, I am wondering what to do next and feel lost. I am guessing an EMG will provide some answers but I can't do one until the end of August at the earliest because of insurance stuff. Any advice on what to do until then? Do you know how much they cost without insurance?
Thanks!
Sean
